Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens had just finished a gruelling summer off-ice session when he and trainer Ben McPherson drove out into the Yukon wilderness to go fishing.
B次元官网网址淚 know the spot,B次元官网网址� McPherson recalled Cozens saying. And within 10 minutes of casting his line, Cozens hooked a big one.
B次元官网网址淗e probably had that thing on the line for 40 minutes, and remember, he just had a workout prior to that, deadlifts and hinges. And heB次元官网网址檚 doing the same thing with the fish,B次元官网网址� McPherson said. B次元官网网址淗e was exhausted by the end of it, a 40-something-pound lake trout. B次元官网网址� It was like the biggest fish IB次元官网网址檝e ever seen.B次元官网网址�
The moment two summers ago has stayed with McPherson because it exemplified the determination Cozens puts into each task B次元官网网址� training, fishing, hockey.
B次元官网网址淐ompetitive, like, he wants the biggest fish in the lake,B次元官网网址� McPherson said before showing off a picture of CozensB次元官网网址� catch.
Maybe there is something beyond fish in YukonB次元官网网址檚 fresh waters helping CanadaB次元官网网址檚 remote territory B次元官网网址� best known for the Klondike gold rush B次元官网网址� in producing NHL-calibre talent.
, Cozens was selected 7th overall by Buffalo B次元官网网址� the first Yukoner chosen in the first round. In his fifth NHL season, he is an established top-line, two-way player with 66 goals and 166 points in 282 games.
Gavin McKenna, who like Cozens is from YukonB次元官网网址檚 capital of Whitehorse, at 16 is already projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. In his first full season with the WHLB次元官网网址檚 Medicine Hat, McKenna had 34 goals and 97 points in 61 games to earn Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year honours.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e seeing more and more competitive players come out of there, so itB次元官网网址檚 really awesome to see,B次元官网网址� said Cozens, who is 23. B次元官网网址淚 think I put Yukon on the map, but GavinB次元官网网址檚 going to really put it on the map.B次元官网网址�
McKennaB次元官网网址檚 father, Willy, crowed how Whitehorse could become the Cole Harbour of the north, referring to the Nova Scotia hometown of PittsburghB次元官网网址檚 Sidney Crosby and ColoradoB次元官网网址檚 Nathan MacKinnon.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the long winters that the kids have here, and their he added, before crediting Cozens for showing what was possible.
B次元官网网址淗e kind of paved the way for Gavin, even though Gavin would have tried his hardest regardless,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t definitely gave Gavin a little more hope.B次元官网网址�
The two players know each other, with McKenna being friends with CozensB次元官网网址� younger brother Luke. They share the same trainer. Both grew up spending the long dark winter days skating on backyard rinks built by their fathers and left Whitehorse at a young age to chase their dream of big-time hockey.
Cozens left for suburban Vancouver at 14, two years after he broke his tibia and fibula while being crushed into the boards during a game against adults. McKenna was 12 when he left to attend a hockey academy in Kelowna, British Columbia.
His father grew emotional, recalling how his son arrived with a broken wrist and then broke the other wrist during his first practice.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why it kind of breaks me up a bit because B次元官网网址次元官网网址� McKenna said, pausing to catch his breath. B次元官网网址淵ou know, any normal kid would have just said, `I want to go home,B次元官网网址� which he didnB次元官网网址檛 do. B次元官网网址� I think going through that and being on his own, he probably proved to himself, `Yeah, I can do it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Gavin McKenna credits his family and the Whitehorse community, which rallied to his support when he held raffles and fundraisers to defray the costs of flying out of town 12 to 18 times a year for hockey.
B次元官网网址淚 do my best to give back to the community, helping with hockey camps for the younger kids coming out,B次元官网网址� said McKenna, who is also proud of his Tr始ond毛k Hw毛ch始in First Nation heritage. B次元官网网址淚 want to be a big motivator for Indigenous people and young athletes to believe in themselves and hopefully influence them and their dreams and their goals.B次元官网网址�
Cozens remembers the friends and family members who made the 2 1/2-hour flight to attend the 2019 draft. Whitehorse has since developed a Sabres fan base, where most bars broadcast Buffalo games and feature a Cozens jersey hanging on the wall.
, Cozens has bought a new boat and a plot of land with a panoramic view of the Kluane National Park and Reserve. Returning home each off-season offers Cozens a chance to reconnect with nature and refresh his mind.
Cozens arrived in Buffalo last month determined to change the trajectory of a team in the midst of .
Reminded of the battle of landing the lake trout, Cozens recalled the relief and sense of accomplishment sweeping over him once the fish was finally secured. ItB次元官网网址檚 no different than what he envisions it will feel like luring success back to Buffalo.
B次元官网网址淚 know that day we win the Stanley Cup, itB次元官网网址檒l be so much excitement, so much, but also a lifelong goal achieved,B次元官网网址� Cozens said.
In other words, he has even bigger fish to fry.
B次元官网网址淎lways,B次元官网网址� Cozens said.
